Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Gradually, the pine forest behind me faded from view.

Moonlight spilled over a vast, arid wilderness. The scorched, yellowish earth stretched endlessly toward the horizon, looking as if it had once been seared by flames, leaving only a layer of ash behind.

I had completely left the territory of the Ice Clan.

The air here carried a faint scent of rust, a stark contrast to the moist, pure air of the Northern Frontier.

The reindeer came to a halt here, letting out a low snort and refusing to go any further.

I gently patted its neck and handed it a few carrots.

It chewed contentedly, gave me a lingering look of reluctance, then turned around and vanished across the silvery-white boundary line.

I sat on a weathered rock, pulled out a hard, dry bun, and ate it bite by bite.

Just as I was preparing to set off again, the dull thud of hoofbeats echoed from the distance.

Several black horses galloped out from the shadows. The men astride them were clad in heavy fur cloaks. Their horses’ hooves kicked up yellow sand as they formed a loose circle around me.

They paced slowly, their gazes roaming over me.

When I saw the ornaments wrapped around their necks, my heart sank instantly.

They were coils of soft, silvery-white fur-fox fur.

No member of the Ice Clan would ever harm a fox, for they were considered cunning and intelligent creatures.

To use fox fur as an ornament meant these newcomers could only be the legendary Soul Devourer Clan.

In dark legends, the Soul Devourer Clan would seize the Snow Souls of their own kind in horrific ways to prolong their own lives.

At this very moment, the legend that once terrified me had become a reality.

The man leading them wore a full Snow Fox Fur pelt, its silvery-white tail draped over his shoulder. A scar, deep enough to see the bone, ran through the center of his brow.

Sitting atop his horse, he looked down at me, studying me for a moment before his lips curled into a playful, mocking smile.

“I didn’t expect to run into such a delicate piece of prey tonight.”

He turned to the riders behind him and laughed wickedly. “Brothers, it looks like we won’t be bored tonight.”

The other men erupted into coarse laughter that sounded like the howling of beasts in the moonlit night.

A bone-chilling cold surged up my spine.

The Soul Devourer Clan abducted me and took me back to their tribe.

They lit a bonfire and roasted skewers of raw meat over the flames, chewing loudly and making beast-like swallowing sounds.

There were also women and children in the tribe, but they were locked in cages made of wooden stakes, huddled in corners like livestock.

Only when the others had eaten and drunk their fill would someone toss them a few cold, hard scraps.

The man with the scar between his brows was called “Chang Yan” by the others.

Chang Yan drained a cup of dark red wine and walked over to me. He looked down at me with a domineering air, his rough knuckles brushing carelessly against my shoulder, causing my outer cotton coat to fall away.

He frowned. “Why are you wearing so much? It’s in the way.”

As he reached the final layer, his gaze fixed on the pendant around my neck.

It was a White Jade Mystical Bird Pendant. Upon closer inspection, ripples seemed to move within the jade, and touching it brought a sense of mental tranquility.

Lan Yi had given this to me. He told me that I had to wear it at all times no matter what; otherwise, he would turn water into something I couldn’t even imagine to punish me.

Chang Yan pinched my chin and asked, “What is your relationship with Lan Yi of the Ice Clan?”

I gritted my teeth and remained silent.

Chang Yan smiled, a grin as cold as ice water that made me shiver.

“I’d certainly like to see what kind of expression Lan Yi makes if I touch his little treasure.”